Google Maps, Amazon, eBay Drops Support for Apple Watch

Apple watch no longer support major applications including Google Maps, Amazon and eBay. Over the course of the last few months, several major companies have quietly removed support for the Apple Watch from their apps. “Google confirmed it had removed support from Google Maps but suggested that move might be temporary.”

Google Maps was perhaps the only app that was useful on the wrist, with quick directions to places like home and work. Amazon’s Apple Watch app simply allowed for voice-based searches and one-tap purchases, something that’s easier to do on a phone or computer, while eBay’s offered notifications for auctions being tracked on the site, which also required the concurrent use of an iPhone or Mac to track content in the first place.

The removal was not mentioned in the release notes, and Google has not indicated whether it will reinstate support for watchOS. Amazon and eBay, both of which previously included Apple Watch support in their iOS apps have also removed their apps. Both were last updated in April.

“It’s unclear why the companies decided to remove support for their apps on the Apple Watch, or whether Apple had a role in their decision,” the report noted.

Apple released watchOS 3 software in 2016 that allowed app developers to make standalone apps for the Apple Watch.